Shoot The Root Recipes

HOW TO COOK BAMBOO SHOOTS

Steps:

• Wash the bamboo under running water. Move all of the shoots to the sink. The water temperature doesn't matter, so keep it lukewarm for safety. Rinse each shoot to remove any dirt on it. If you are using canned or vacuum-sealed bamboo shoots, rinsing is all you need to do. The shoots are pre-cooked, so you can use them right away in any recipe.
• Slice through the shoots' outer layer. Place the shoots flat on a cutting board. Hold a sharp knife flat against the shoot's top end. Work the knife underneath the shoot's rough, green outer layer. Cut from the top all the way to the shoot's bottom end.
• Pry off the outer layer by hand. Use the cut you made to get your fingers underneath the tough outer layer. Pull the bamboo and the outer layer in different directions to separate them. Continue peeling off the outer layer until you see the white inner portion.
• Cut off more layers until the bamboo feels tender. Touch the bamboo with your fingers. The white inner flesh should feel soft to the touch. If it doesn't, cut and pry off another layer. Repeat this until you reach a layer that feels soft to the touch.
• Slice about 1 in (2.5 cm) off the root end. The root is the shoot's rounded, wider end. Measure about 1 in (2.5 cm) and cut all the way through the shoot. This part is too bitter to eat, so throw it out. Check to make sure you have removed all of the tough or woody parts on the stem. It should feel soft as well.
• Place the shoots in a pot. Set a cooking pot on the stove. If you can't fit the shoots in the pot, slice them lengthwise 2 or 3 times. Leave enough space to fill the pot with water.
• Cover the shoots with water. Fill the pot with enough lukewarm water to cover the shoots. You want the water level to be at least 1 in (2.5 cm) above the shoots. Plain water is fine for cooking shoots, but consider using rinsing water from rice to make it more authentic. Rinsing water is made by submerging rice in water in a separate bowl. You can cook the rice to serve along with the shoots.
• Boil and simmer the shoots for an hour. Turn the heat up high and wait for the water to boil. Once it does, adjust the heat to keep the pot at a simmer. Leave the pot uncovered and let it simmer to cook away the bamboo shoots' bitter flavor. You don't have to stir the shoots around in the pot, but check occasionally to make sure they are still covered by the water.
• Check the shoots for softness with a skewer. Before turning off the heat, poke the shoots with a skewer. If the shoots are done cooking, the skewer will go through them without resistance. You can also try cutting one with a knife to check this. If the shoots aren't done, let them cook for another 5 to 10 minutes before testing them again.
• Cool cooked shoots in the pot. After the shoots finish cooking, turn off the heat. Don't take them out of the water yet. Wait about 10 minutes for the shoots to cool off, then take them out using tongs or by draining the water into a collander.

THAI LOTUS SHOOT SALAD RECIPE (YUM LAI BUA)

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• While the water is heating, take your lotus shoots and cut them into 4 cm pieces.
• Fill a large container with water, throw the lotus shoots in. Then, use a chopstick to swirl in the water to remove the unwanted fibers. The fibers will come off on the chopstick and you can discard them. Repeat this step until you can no longer see the fibers.
• Rinse through the wholes in every piece of the lotus shoots. If you can still see mud inside them, cut them open and rinse again.
• Once your water is boiling, turn the stove to a low simmer and blanch the shoots for about 15 seconds.
• Transfer the shoots to room-temperature water with a slotted spoon to stop them from cooking. You can add ½ teaspoon of salt to this water to prevent the shoots from browning.
• While the shoots are cooling, make your salad dressing. Coarsely pound the garlic and chilis in a mortar. Add lime juice, fish sauce and sugar and pound until well mixed, making sure the sugar is fully dissolved. Taste-test the dressing and adjust as needed.
• Once the shoots have cooled, strain and place them in a salad bowl.
• Add every other ingredient and the dressing to the bowl and toss.
• Transfer the salad to a serving dish and enjoy.

SHOOT THE ROOT

Steps:

• In a pint glass, add chilled beer. Drop shot glass filled with root beer into beer and drink.

CELERY ROOT MARGARITA COCKTAIL

Steps:

• Build in Pitcher.
• Add ice
• Stir to incorporate
• Garnish with lime wheels

SHOOT THE ROOT

Steps:

• Drop shot in beer. Shoot the whole thing.

SLOW COOKER ROOT BEER CHICKEN SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Place chicken inside a slow cooker and pour the root beer over the meat. Cook on Low until meat easily shreds, 6 to 8 hours.
• Drain off the cooking liquid and use meat claws, two forks, or a large spoon to break the meat apart. Stir in barbeque sauce. Keep warm in the slow cooker until ready to serve.
• Place meat onto hamburger buns and serve drizzled with more barbeque sauce if desired.